School Leadership, Faculty, & Staff

Westridge faculty and staff

The collaborative efforts and intentions of the Board of Trustees, alumnae, parent, employee, and student communities promote the energy, excellence, and values of the school.

Westridge teachers and administrators care about the lives of our students, and through example, strive to invest a lifelong love of learning in every student. Seventy percent of Westridge faculty members have advanced degrees and many are continuing their education at the graduate level. As leaders within their profession and their disciplines, many faculty members present seminars and workshops to educators at local, state, and national levels.

Administrative Leadership Team

Head of School
Andrea Kassar

Chief Finance & Operations Officer
Linda Ross

Director of Advancement
Diana Bernal O'Leary

Director of Athletics
Melanie Horn

Director of Communications
Kim Kerscher

Director of Equity
Ian Tatum

Director of Human Resources
Kelly Block

Director of Lower & Middle School
Zanita Kelly, Ed.D.

Director of Technology
Sally Miller

Director of Upper School
Gary Baldwin

Senior Director for Enrollment Management & Student Outcomes
Sarah Jallo

Board of Trustees

As the governing body of Westridge School, each member of the Board of Trustees is deeply committed to the school’s mission, values, and traditions. Westridge is fortunate to have an active board whose trustees dedicate themselves to upholding and strengthening the school’s focus on developing in girls their intellectual and creative powers and their unique qualities as individuals.

2023-24 Board of Trustees

Valerie Rubio Lemmon ’92 – Board Chair
Mike Burke
Sigrid Burton ’69 
Cathy Colloff
Akila Gibbs
Kirsten L. Hansen ’83 
Marc S. Harris
Suzanne D. Icaza
Tina Li Kleindorfer
Richard B. Lord
Jim Lygopoulos
Donald L. Morgan, Ph.D.
John Scott Mulchaey, Ph.D.
Shahbano Nawaz ’98
Ismael Obregon
Daniel Prince
Khalid Rashid
Vicki von Holzhausen ’90
Emily Ko Wang ’93 
Teri Wilde ’69
Wendy Wu Iwata
Joseph J. Ybarra
Jessica Yang ’10 – Alumnae Board Chair

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Meet Our Faculty & Staff

We're proud of our top-tier faculty, a group that combines subject-matter expertise with inspirational teaching. They also bring diverse backgrounds to our campus. Learn more about the faculty at Westridge by reading one of our Faculty Q&As below!

Upper School Music Teacher Angelica Brooks on Creating Lifelong Music Learners

We are pleased to profile Westridge Upper School Music Teacher Angelica Brooks, who joined Westridge this year to work with our choral program, bringing more than a decade of experience in music educator roles within Prince George's County Public Schools in Maryland. She has numerous accolades, including Prince George’s County Teacher of the Year, GRAMMY Music Educator of the Year quarterfinalist, and Bowie State University’s Leadership in Education award. She holds several degrees including a bachelor’s in vocal performance and media management from Bowie State University, a master of music from The Catholic University of America, and an administration certificate from McDaniels College. Brooks is currently pursuing a doctorate in music teaching & learning at USC Thornton School of Music. 

Read More about Upper School Music Teacher Angelica Brooks on Creating Lifelong Music Learners
Westridge School Darren Brown Middle School Science Teacher

We sat down with Darren Brown, who returned to Westridge in fall 2023 as an 8th grade science teacher, a job he held during the 2021-2022 school year as a long-term substitute. Darren has taught marine and environmental science at Viewpoint School, Milken Community School, Pennsylvania State University, California State University Northridge, and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. A former Fulbright Scholar with an M.S. in biology, he recently received a grant from the National Science Foundation and continues to conduct research in the field of marine biology.

Read More about Faculty Q&A: Darren Brown, Middle School Science
Stephanie Bolton

Stephanie earned her Master of Library & Information Science with a focus on youth librarianship from UCLA and has since worked as assistant librarian at Pacific Oaks College and as an apprentice librarian at Windward School. Before pursuing her passion for library science, she held diverse positions working in a veterinary clinic, photography studio, and as a costuming intern at Walt Disney World.

Read More about Faculty Q&A: Stephanie Bolton, Librarian
Faculty Q&A: Kerri Epps, Middle & Upper School Orchestra Teacher

Middle and Upper School Orchestra Teacher Kerri Epps earned her Bachelors degree in Music Education with an emphasis in violin from UCLA and is currently pursuing her Masters degree in Music Teaching and Learning from the University of Southern California. She has nearly 10 years of teaching experience that ranges from the elementary to the collegiate level.

Read More about Faculty Q&A: Kerri Epps, Middle & Upper School Orchestra Teacher
Faculty Q&A: Danielle Houser, Lower School Math

Danielle Houser joined Westridge in 2006 and currently teaches fifth grade mathematics. A graduate of State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz, she has two master's degrees from Adelphi University and Ball State University and over two decades of teaching experience. In this Q&A, find out more about her work in the Lower School at Westridge, her passion for teaching girls, and her belief that we are all "math people." 

Read More about Faculty Q&A: Danielle Houser, Lower School Math
Faculty Q&A: Dr. Zanita Kelly, Director of Lower & Middle School

Director of Lower & Middle School Zanita Kelly, Ed.D.'s 25-year career spans teaching (elementary through graduate school), overseeing curriculum and instruction, and academic leadership for grades K-5, most recently as Upper (Elementary) School Head at Saint Mark’s School in Altadena. Her published work and academic presentations address such topics as global partnerships, multicultural classrooms, assessment practices, and the joy of social and emotional learning.

Read More about Faculty Q&A: Dr. Zanita Kelly, Director of Lower & Middle School
Faculty Q&A: Valerie Brownsmith, Middle School Math

Valerie "Val" Brownsmith joined Westridge in 2017 to teach 7th grade mathematics. A graduate of Smith College, she earned her master's degree in administration from Concordia University, and has 10 years of experience teaching math and developing curriculum in the Glendale Unified School District. In this Q&A, find out more about her work at Westridge to make learning math a hands-on and all-around fun experience.

Read More about Faculty Q&A: Valerie Brownsmith, Middle School Math
Faculty Q&A: David Prince, Upper School Art Faculty & STEAMWork Design Studio Coordinator

David Prince holds a B.A. from Colorado College and an M.F.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He joined Westridge full-time in 2014, but previously taught Upper School ceramics and summer school part-time at Westridge. He runs Adjunct Positions, a gallery and project space that has been written about in Los Angeles Magazine and the New York Times, out of his home in Highland Park.

Read More about Faculty Q&A: David Prince, Upper School Art Faculty & STEAMWork Design Studio Coordinator
Faculty Q&A: Ryan Skophammer, Ph.D., Upper School Science

Ryan joined Westridge in 2013, following two years as a visiting assistant professor at Whittier College, where he taught college writing and lower and upper division biology classes. Prior to that, he was a postdoctoral researcher and visiting scholar at University of California, Riverside. He holds a B.A. from Pomona College and Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Read More about Faculty Q&A: Ryan Skophammer, Ph.D., Upper School Science

Faculty - Upper School Math
B.A., Boston University
M.S., New York University
M.A., University of California, Los Angeles
C.Phil., University of California, Los Angeles
Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles

View Profile about JOE BUSCH

Faculty - Lower School Science
B.S., University of California, Davis
Single Subject Teaching Credential
M.A., California State University, Los Angeles

View Profile about LIZ KIM

Director of Counseling and Student Support
B.A., Olivet Nazarene University
M.A., Fuller Theological Seminary
M.S., Fuller Theological Seminary
M.A., Rosemead School of Psychology
Psy.D., Rosemead School of Psychology

View Profile about LISA LaFAVE

Faculty - Middle School Math
B.S., Lafayette College
M.S.M.E., University of Delaware
M.B.A., University of Southern California
Multiple Subject Credential, Point Loma Nazarene University
Single Subject Teaching Credential, Point Loma Nazarene University

View Profile about JAMIE LINTON

Faculty - Lower School History
Ph.D., King's College, University of London
Master of Divinity, Fuller Theological Seminary
B.A., Colorado State University
Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, CalStateTEACH

View Profile about LINDA PEACORE

Faculty - Upper School Spanish and Partnership for Success! Site Director
B.A., University of California, Los Angeles
Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and Single Subject Teaching Credential in Social Science, California State University, Los Angeles
M.A., University of Southern California
M.A., University of Salamanca, Spain
Ed.D., University of California, Los Angeles

View Profile about JESSICA PEREZ DEL TORO

Faculty - Upper School English and Service & Community Engagement Coordinator
M.A., Institute for Humane Education/Valparaiso University
Single Subject Teaching Credential, San Francisco State University
B.A., University of Colorado, Boulder

View Profile about ERICA ST. JOHN